This disclosure generally relates to a gas turbine engine, and more particularly to a mounting system for mounting a gas turbine engine to an aircraft pylon.
A gas turbine engine may be mounted at various points of an aircraft, such as a pylon integrated with an aircraft structure. For example, a mounting system is often used to support an aircraft engine relative to the pylon. Mounting systems may include any combination of links, ball joints or plates that support the engine vertically, laterally and axially. The mounting system ensures the transmission of a variety of static and dynamic loads between the engine and the aircraft structure. The loads experienced by a mounting system may include vertical loads and side loads (loads experienced perpendicular to a centerline axis of the engine), torque loads (loads experienced in the direction of rotation of the gas turbine engine), and thrust loads (loads experienced in an opposing direction of aircraft travel). The mounting system must absorb the deformations that the engine is subjected to during different flight phases and the dimensional variations caused by thermal expansion and retraction of the engine during operation.
One known mounting system for a gas turbine engine includes a pylon having a forward mount and an aft mount. The forward mount dissipates thrust loads, vertical loads, and side loads experienced adjacent a front end of the engine. Meanwhile, the rear mount dissipates vertical loads, side loads, torque loads, and thrust loads experienced adjacent a rear end of the engine.
Mounting systems of this type are unable to adequately react static (weight) and dynamic (maneuver) loads created during operation of the engine as the engine distorts and flexes. The engine loads may distort the casing that surrounds the various engine components. This distortion can cause the clearances between the static casing and a plurality of rotating blade tips encased within the static casing to increase. This may negatively effect engine performance and increase fuel burn.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a mounting system for a gas turbine engine that minimizes tip clearances, is compact, and adequately dissipates the transmission of loads between the engine and the aircraft structure.